Kit for a body- shell structure

ABSTRACT

An embodiment of the present invention discloses a kit for a body-shell structure of a rail vehicle, including a carrier structure with at least two upper belts and a plurality of roof cross members for the roof region of the space frame, at least two lower belts and a plurality of bottom cross members for a bottom region of the body, a plurality of columns running perpendicular and a plurality of window belts for side regions of the body. An embodiment of the present invention further includes at least one head module, wherein the shell structure has a modular design. The upper belts and the lower belts are connected via knots to adjoining cross members, perpendicular columns and/or window belts, wherein the upper belts and the lower belts have a uniform profile cross-section and the knots are at least partially of uniform design.

PRIORITY STATEMENT

This application is the national phase under 35 U.S.C. §371 of PCT International Application No. PCT/EP2008/055631 which has an International filing date of May 7, 2008, which designated the United States of America, and which claims priority on German patent application number DE 10 2007 022 198.5 filed May 11, 2007, the entire contents of each of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

At least one embodiment of the invention generally relates to a kit for a car body-shell structure of a rail vehicle. In at least one embodiment, it relates to a kit for a car body-shell structure of a rail vehicle, having a beam structure which has at least two upper chords and a number of roof transverse beams for the roof area of the car body, at least two lower chords and a number of bottom transverse beams for a bottom area of the car body and a plurality of pillars which extend vertically, and a plurality of window chords for side areas of the car body, and having at least one front module.

BACKGROUND

A kit is generally employed in the construction of rail vehicles of all types, both local railway vehicles and long-distance railway vehicles.

Car body shells frequently exhibit, within the kit which is used for their manufacture, a variety of simple individual components such as chamfered pieces of sheet metal and open profiles which are assembled with extremely time-consuming welding operations in an assembly process to form a framework. Depending on a respective customer's requirements, it is necessary to adapt the kit, and in this context considerable adaptations are necessary in terms of the elements of the kit and additions of components. This incurs very high costs both in the development and in the fabrication of the car body shell.

In addition, in many cases only a tight development time is available for the configuration of the car body shell and in addition a large number of individual components of the kit have to be fabricated by hand, with the result that product safety can be ensured only with very considerable effort.

At present, the high costs when developing a new car body shell are combated by changing the car body-shell structure of a particular predecessor model as little as possible.

SUMMARY

In at least one embodiment, a kit is specified for a car body-shell structure of a rail vehicle in which reduced development time is required when a car body shell is newly configured.

The modular body shell structure which is provided makes it possible to construct a car body with a very small number of different elements for the kit. In particular, the uniformity of the profile cross section of the upper chord sections and lower chord sections and the design of the joints can be used to construct various car bodies.

In this context, the upper chord sections and the lower chord sections can preferably be at least partially of uniform length. This will apply to the upper chord sections in most cases, while in the case of the lower chord sections it may be necessary to ensure that any wheel cases are arranged.

It is advantageous if the pillars and the window chords also have a uniform profile cross section. This facilitates the provision of suitable profiles for forming the pillars and the window chords. It is therefore possible to manufacture both pillars and window chords from a single extrusion profile or roller-profiled profiles.

The pillars and the transverse beams may also have a uniform profile cross section, which further reduces the variety of profiles to be used.

A plurality of sets of transverse beams which differ in their length are advantageously provided for the kit in order to implement various vehicle widths. This means that the side elements of the car body remain the same for different vehicles, while only the length of the transverse beams which are used and the configuration of the front module are changed from one car body configuration to another.

In order to implement various vehicle lengths it is also advantageously possible to dispense with changes in the sides of the car body. In this context, it is preferred to provide rear modules and front modules of differing lengths for connection to the respective end sides of the beam structure. Such front modules are typically manufactured from plastic.

With respect to the uniformity of the joints it is possible to provide that the joints which are provided in the interior of the beam structure are of uniform design in the vicinity of the upper chords and lower chords. This also limits the variety of components of the kit.

The joints may preferably be embodied as sheet-metal joints. In this context, a sheet-metal joint may be fabricated from a sheet-metal semifinished product which is cut to size by jet-treatment cutting methods or punching tools, and is subsequently suitably shaped and then joined. The joining is preferably carried out by welding or bonding to an adjacent chord section.

Alternatively, the sheet-metal joint can also be manufactured by deep-drawing, in which case the sheet-metal joint can be suitably cut to size after the deep-drawing process and then chamfered, if necessary.

It is also conceivable to form the sheet-metal joint from a plurality of parts which are each manufactured by deep-drawing.

Example embodiments of the kit can include an embodiment of the sheet-metal joints which are used in its construction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Example embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a beam structure of a car body for a rail vehicle,

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an alternative beam structure of a car body for a rail vehicle,

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the beam structure in FIG. 1 with supplementary roof elements and rear modules,

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a beam structure of a car body for a rail vehicle with supplementary roof elements, which are alternatives to those in FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of a sheet-metal joint in combination with profile sections which are to be connected to one another,

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of a sheet-metal joint, on the basis of a quarter of a deep-drawn cup, in combination with profile sections which are to be connected to one another,

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of a sheet-metal joint in combination with profile sections which are to be connected to one another,

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of a side wall section of the beam structure in FIG. 1,

FIGS. 9 and 10 each show a perspective view of two variants of a fourth embodiment of a sheet-metal joint in combination with profile sections which are to be connected to one another,

FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a sheet-metal joint in combination with chord sections which are to be connected to one another,

FIGS. 12, 13, 14, 15 each show perspective views of a sheet-metal semifinished product in various manufacturing stages for the manufacture of the sheet-metal joint in FIG. 11,

FIGS. 16 and 17 each show a perspective view of a sixth embodiment of a sheet-metal joint,

FIGS. 18 and 19 each show a perspective view of an outer shell and of an inner shell for the manufacture of the sheet-metal joint in FIGS. 6 and 7,

FIGS. 20, 21, 22 and 23 each show a perspective view of a sheet-metal semifinished product in various manufacturing stages for the manufacture of the sheet-metal joint in FIGS. 6 and 7,

FIGS. 24 and 25 each show perspective views of a seventh embodiment of a sheet-metal joint,

FIG. 26 shows a perspective view of an eighth embodiment of a sheet-metal joint,

FIGS. 27 and 28 each show perspective views of a sheet-metal joint arrangement in which two sheet-metal joints are connected to one another by placing respective outer shells together,

FIG. 29 shows a perspective view of a sheet-metal joint arrangement in which three sheet-metal joints are connected to one another by placing respective outer shells together, and

FIGS. 30 and 31 each show a perspective view of a ninth embodiment of a sheet-metal joint in which at least one sheet-metal shell is separated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

The beam structure of a car body for a rail vehicle which is shown in FIG. 1 is of modular design. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, two upper chords O are respectively divided into five upper chord sections OA, only one of which is provided with a reference sign in FIG. 1 for reasons of clarity.

FIG. 2 shows a beam structure which is an alternative to FIG. 1 and in which rear modules and front modules E1, E2 are additionally provided. Furthermore, a centrally arranged longitudinal beam LT is additionally provided in the roof area of the beam structure. In contrast to FIG. 1, the upper chords O, the lower chords U and, if appropriate, also the longitudinal beam LT are of continuous design in the respective continuous joints, with the result that there is no respective division into longitudinal axial sections. The longitudinal beam LT in the roof area is connected to the upper chords O by means of sheet-metal joints which are embodied in the form of a cross BK4 and intermediate profiles ZP which extend in the lateral direction.

It is to be emphasized that a continuous embodiment of the upper chords O and lower chords U can also be provided in the respective sheet-metal joints in the beam structure according to FIG. 1.

Two lower chords U are also divided into lower chord sections UA, with a central region remaining free in order to accommodate an undercarriage.

The upper chord sections OA and lower chord sections UA are uniform with respect to their profile cross section and their length.

In order to connect the upper chords O and the lower chords U, vertical pillars S are provided. In order to form window areas, horizontally extending window chords F are used which correspond in terms of their profile cross section to that of the vertical pillars S. In this context, the window chords F are attached to the vertical pillars S in an abutting connection.

In order to connect the upper chords O and the lower chords U to one another horizontally, transverse beams Q are provided which have a uniform profile cross section and are of uniform length. Their profile cross section corresponds here to that of the vertical pillars S and of the window chord F.

The construction of the beam structure therefore requires only two different cross-sectional profiles, specifically one cross-sectional profile for the upper chord section OA and lower chord section UA, and a second cross-sectional profile for the transverse beams Q, the vertical pillars S and the window chords F.

Taking the beam structure illustrated in FIG. 1 as a starting point, a body shell structure shown in FIG. 3 is obtained. The illustration in FIG. 3 has additional roof elements D1, D2 compared to the illustration in FIG. 1, with a central roof element D1 corresponding approximately to the length of two upper chord sections OA, and the two outer roof elements D2 corresponding approximately to the length of an upper chord section OA. FIG. 4 shows an alternative division of the roof area in which two roof elements D1, which are denoted by the same reference sign for the sake of simplicity, correspond to the length of two upper chord sections OA. Rear modules E1, E2 are fitted onto end sides, for example of the beam structure in FIG. 2.

The modular structure which is described in this way for a car body shell is also retained when different vehicle widths or vehicle lengths are implemented. In order to implement different vehicle widths, only the lengths of the transverse beams Q are adapted. Associated rear modules and front modules E1, E2, which have to be fitted onto the end sides of the beam structure, then have to be made available for each transverse beam length.

Different vehicle lengths are implemented for a given transverse beam length by means of the length of a front module, for example.

Even when there are different vehicle widths and vehicle lengths, the side areas of the beam structures remain unchanged in each case and can therefore be used as modular elements for different vehicle configurations.

In order to construct the beam structure which is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, 4 and is composed of the upper chord sections OA, lower chord section UA (or with continuous upper chords O and lower chords U), vertical pillars S, window chords F and transverse beams Q it is proposed to use sheet-metal joints with a predominantly uniform design. In this context, in the end side area of the beam structure a first sheet-metal joint type BK1 is used which serves to mechanically connect a transverse beam Q, an upper chord section OA and a vertical pillar S. The first sheet-metal joint type BK1 is used whenever the abovementioned three elements of the beam structure are to be connected to one another, that is to say even in the inner area of the lower chord U.

In the inner area of the upper chords O, a second sheet-metal joint type BK2 is used which serves as a connecting point between two upper chord sections OA located one behind the other, a transverse beam Q and a vertical chord S. A third sheet-metal joint type BK3 is used to connect a window chord F to a vertical chord S.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a sheet-metal edged joint BK2A of the type BK3. It serves as an element for connecting abutting profiles. A sheet-metal semifinished product is used for its manufacture, which sheet-metal semifinished product is firstly cut to size by means of a jet-treatment cutting method or punching tools and on which conventional chamfering operations are subsequently performed, after which the third joint type BK3 is joined to adjacent profiles such as the window chord F or the vertical chord S. The joining can be performed by welding, other thermal joining methods or else also by bonding (specifically if lightweight metals are used).

The sheet-metal joint BK3A which is manufactured in this way is distinguished by low manufacturing costs and a high level of working precision.

FIG. 6, too, shows a second embodiment of the sheet-metal joint type BK3. Taking the basic form of a round cup as a starting point, a deep-drawn sheet-metal joint BK3B is fabricated as follows: a deep-drawn cup composed of a sheet-metal semifinished product is divided, in the present exemplary embodiment, by laser cutting or some other cutting method into quarters which have the same shape and can be used to reinforce corners at abutting connections of profiles, such as the window chord F and the vertical chord S. During the shaping of the sheet-metal cup by deep-drawing, a force is applied in a conventional fashion to the sheet-metal semifinished product via a die, and said force causes the sheet-metal semifinished product to be drawn into a drawing ring. The process is characterized by a combined compression/pressure stress state. The method is distinguished by low manufacturing costs because of the use of established fabrication methods such as punching and deep-drawing. A high level of working precision can be implemented. The rounding radius in the sheet-metal joint BK3B can be defined by means of the diameter of the sheet-metal cup.

The sheet-metal joint BK3B of the type BK3 which is manufactured in this way is embodied in two parts, with each part being joined individually to the adjacent profiles.

A further embodiment of a sheet-metal joint BK3C for use in the type BK3 can be seen in FIG. 7. Firstly, a suitable blank of the sheet-metal semifinished product is formed by punching out or laser beam cutting. Subsequent to this, shaping is performed by deep drawing. The resulting deep-drawn shape for the sheet-metal joint is then cut to size further as required. The sheet-metal joint BK3C which is illustrated in FIG. 7 is also embodied in two parts. It has the feature that a position of the reinforcing flanges FL can be defined by means of the drawing depth of the sheet-metal semifinished product. These flanges FL lie opposite one another in the inner area of the joint.

FIG. 8 shows two embodiments of a connecting element with reinforcing flanges F2 for reinforcing corners in abutting connections of profiles. The connecting element in FIG. 8 is employed, for example, in a side wall of a car body, for the openings of doors (BK5A) and windows (BK5B).

In contrast to the deep-drawn sheet-metal joint embodiment according to FIG. 5, the reinforcing element illustrated in FIG. 8 is an enclosed, deep-drawn structure. Vertical and horizontal profiles are connected by way of a trough-shaped joint element which is enclosed around the periphery.

FIGS. 9 and 10 each show a cross-shaped, two-part structure of a sheet-metal joint. This embodiment of a sheet-metal joint corresponds to the type BK4 from FIG. 2. It is therefore employed for the connection between central longitudinal beams LT and transverse beams Q in the roof area or in the underframe area. Its manufacturing method is also characterized by punching out or jet-treatment cutting of the sheet-metal blank to size, subsequent shaping by deep-drawing and cutting of the deep-drawn shape to size in order to obtain the illustrated, cross-shaped design. Reinforcing flanges FL which are provided can be arranged at a distance from one another (FIG. 9) or can be embodied bearing directly one against the other (FIG. 10). An angle of the abutting profiles can be 90°, as in the case shown in the figure. However, a smaller or larger value can also be selected for said angle, allowing for technical fabrication possibilities.

FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of a sheet-metal joint BK2A for the type BK2. A deep-drawn initial shape is bent twice in the present example embodiment, secondary shaping elements being used in this context. The joint design is suitable for connecting abutting profiles, as is shown by the application with the sheet-metal joint type BK2 in FIG. 1.

Details of the associated manufacturing method can be found in FIGS. 12 to 15. Joint structures which can be subjected to differing degrees of loading can be developed by means of an employed sheet-metal strength.

A manufacturing method for a second embodiment BK2B of the sheet-metal joint type BK2 is shown in FIGS. 16 to 23. The sheet-metal joint has an outer shell AS and an inner shell IS, the deep-drawn initial shapes of which are illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 19, respectively. A first phase of a bending process is shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, while the adoption of the final shapes of the inner shell and of the outer shell is shown in FIGS. 22 and 23.

A further embodiment BK2C for the sheet-metal joint type BK2 is illustrated in FIGS. 24 and 25. In contrast to the embodiment described above, the outer shell AS is manufactured here only from a bent sheet-metal blank, i.e. without deep-drawing processing.

In the same way, the inner shell IS can be composed of just one bent sheet-metal blank, and the outer shell AS can be deep-drawn.

FIG. 26 shows a further embodiment of a sheet-metal joint BK5 which has an inner shell IS and an outer shell AS and serves, in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, for connecting intermediate elements to a chord or longitudinal beam.

FIGS. 27 and 28 show two different perspective views in which two sheet-metal joints each have a separate inner shell IS, the outer shells of which are, however, connected to one another to form an outer shell AS which is common to both joints.

FIG. 29 shows an extension of the principle illustrated in FIG. 28. Here, a total of five sheet-metal joints are connected by their respective outer shells AS, with the result that one outer shell AS which is common to all the sheet-metal joints is present.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 30 and 31, a sheet-metal shell, namely the outer shell AS1, AS2, is divided, while the inner shell IS is embodied in one piece.

Example embodiments being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims. 

1. A kit for a car body-shell structure of a rail vehicle having a beam structure, the kit comprising: at least two upper chords; plurality of roof transverse beams for a roof area of the car body; at least two lower chords; a plurality of bottom transverse beams for a bottom area of the car body; a plurality of pillars which extend vertically; a plurality of window chords for side areas of the car body; and at least one front module, wherein the body-shell structure is of modular design, wherein the at least two upper chords and the at least two lower chords are connected via joints to adjacent at least one of the transverse beams, the vertical pillars and the window chords, wherein the at least two upper chords and the at least two lower chords have a uniform profile cross section, and wherein the joints are at least partially of uniform design.
 2. The kit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least two upper chords and the at least two lower chords are at least partially of uniform length.
 3. The kit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vertical pillars and the window chords have a uniform profile cross section.
 4. The kit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vertical pillars and the transverse beams have a uniform profile cross section.
 5. The kit as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in order to implement various vehicle widths, a plurality of sets of transverse beams which differ in their length are provided.
 6. The kit as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in order to implement various vehicle lengths, front modules or rear modules of differing lengths are respectively provided for connection to an end side of the beam structure.
 7. The kit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the joints provided in the interior of the beam structure are of uniform design in the vicinity of the upper chords and lower chords.
 8. The kit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the joints are embodied as sheet-metal joints.
 9. The kit as claimed in claim 8, wherein the sheet-metal joints are fabricated from a sheet-metal semifinished product which is cut to size by jet-treatment cutting methods or a punching tool, and is subsequently shaped and then joined.
 10. The kit as claimed in claim 9, wherein the joint is joined by welding, other thermal joining methods or bonding.
 11. The kit as claimed in claim 8, wherein the sheet-metal joint is manufactured by deep-drawing.
 12. The kit as claimed in claim 11, wherein the sheet-metal joint is formed from a plurality of parts which are each manufactured by deep-drawing.
 13. The kit as claimed in claim 9, wherein the shaping is carried out by way of a chamfering processes.
 14. The kit as claimed in claim 12, wherein the parts of the sheet-metal joint which are manufactured by deep-drawing are obtained from a cup-shaped basic shape which is subjected to a subsequent cutting or punching process.
 15. The kit as claimed in claim 12, wherein the parts of the sheet-metal joint which are manufactured by deep-drawing are obtained from a trough-shaped basic shape and have reinforcing flanges.
 16. The kit as claimed in claim 15, wherein the sheet-metal joint has an enclosed structure.
 17. The kit as claimed in claim 12, wherein the two parts which are manufactured by deep-drawing are each constructed in a cross shape.
 18. The kit as claimed in claim 11, wherein, after the deep-drawing, a sheet-metal semifinished product is subjected to subsequent chamfering processes.
 19. The kit as claimed in claim 12, wherein the two parts which are manufactured by deep-drawing are formed by an outer shell and an inner shell, which are further cut to size after the deep-drawing.
 20. The kit as claimed in claim 19, wherein at least two of the sheet-metal joints are connected by their outer shells in such a way that one outer shell which is common to both of them is formed.
 21. The kit as claimed in claim 19, wherein one of the outer shell and inner shell is present, separated in such a way that the respective one of the outer and inner shell is at least in two pieces.
 22. The kit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the beam structure has further chords which extend at any desired angle with respect to the vertical.
 23. The kit as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the upper chords and the lower chords are divided into sections of equal length.
 24. The kit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the vertical pillars and the window chords have a uniform profile cross section.
 25. The kit as claimed in claim 24, wherein the vertical pillars and the transverse beams have a uniform profile cross section. 